1635 Memorial Drive · Burlington, NC 27215
336.227.0175 office · 336.229.0176 fax General Instructions for Periodontal Surgery Prior to surgical appointment Please be certain we know of any illness, weakness, allergy, and/or drugs being presently taken. Please observe the following very important general instructions for all surgical procedures: 1. Do not eat for at least two (2) hours before your appointment (6 hours if being sedated). A cracker or two with medication is okay. 2. Loose clothing with short sleeves should be worn. This is to facilitate taking your blood pressure and EKG monitoring. 3. Contact lenses should not be worn. IV Sedation If you are scheduled to have intravenous sedation for your surgical appointment, please carefully follow the following instructions for your appointment: NO ​
eating for at least six hours before your appointment. NO​
driving of any vehicles or machinery for 24 hours after sedation. NO​
alcohol or other drugs without clearing them with this office. NO​
business matters or decisions within 24 hours after sedation. Be with a responsible adult​
at all times for the remainder of the day. Prescriptions Prescriptions given in relationship to this surgi​
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al appointment should be brought with you to the surgical appointment. Please pick up your _______________________ medications at _____________________________ on __________________________. Medications following surgery No alcoholic beverages should be consumed while taking these medications. All medications must be taken according to directions. Please be certain that you understand the directions for all of your medications. Sometimes side effects occur with any medication. If you should note any unusual problems such as an upset stomach, itching, hives, nausea, diarrhea, flushing, general aching in joint and muscles, etc., please do not hesitate to contact this office or Dr. Byerly. These are very unusual but do occasionally occur. Periodontal dressings Sometimes a putty­like dressing is placed over the surgical area. This dressing is left on until we see you in 4 to 14 days, depending upon the type of surgery involved. Please do not disturb this dressing until your next appointment. If it should come off, please contact our office or Dr. Byerly. Sutures Some sutures (stitches) dissolve and some we remove. If a periodontal dressing is not over the area, these stitches may come loose as they dissolve and may be an annoyance to you. If you should note a loose stitch and it bothers you, please clip it off with small scissors or see us to have it clipped. ​
Please do not pull on the stitch.​
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You may cause bleeding and damage. Bleeding Some oozing is often noted for a few hours following surgery, staining your saliva. If bleeding is noted, apply moderate pressure with a moist gauze pad or a moist tea bag over the bleeding site for twenty (20) minutes. If this does not control the bleeding, contact our office or Dr. Byerly immediately. Swelling Some swelling is not unusual following some types of periodontal surgery. It can be minimized in the first 24 hours by applying ice to the outside of the face and in the mouth (by holding chipped ice in the mouth) as continuously as possible while awake. Beginning 48 hours after surgery, moist heat should be used as much as possible to speed up healing. ​
Do not use ice after 24 hours from the time of surgery and do not use heat until 48 hours after surgery. Oral hygiene No oral hygiene should be performed for the first 24 hours after surgery. After 24 hours, gently rinsing with warm salt water (1/2 teaspoon salt in an 8 ounce glass of warm water with perhaps a little mouthwash mixed into the water for taste and a refreshing feeling) can be very helpful. Brushing and flossing in any areas not involved with the surgical treatment can be started 24 hours after surgery. The use of Water Irrigation Devices (i.e., Water Pik) or electric toothbrushes should be delayed until we give you the okay to use them again. Please ask about these if you use them. Diet Only cold liquids should be consumed on the day of surgery. Beginning of the following day, soft foods can be started. These should be consumed slowly, with minimal chewing. Under no circumstances is sucking through a straw permitted for the first week. Hard, hot or spicy foods should be avoided. Eggs, milk (milk shakes, juices, soups, Jello, chopped foods (use a blender) and prepared foods such as Ensure are all excellent sources of needed nutrition​
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A well­balanced diet is important for proper healing. Plenty of rest is absolutely essential for rapid and proper healing. Be careful about over­exertion for at least 72 hours. If any questions arise, please do not hesitate to call Dr. Byerly at any time, day or night (see below). Problems are rare, but when they occur, it is better to treat them as soon as possible. If you are unable to reach Dr. Byerly contact your family dentist. To contact Dr. Byerly after hours: You may reach Dr. Byerly at 336.266.8917. If you have to leave a message, be sure to include your name and phone number with area code. No smoking for at least 12 hours after surgery. Soft tissue grafts After tissue graft surgery, no talking or eating should be done until at least the following morning. If a plastic stint is in the top of your mouth, do not disturb it for 48 hours. After that it can be removed, cleaned and worn as needed for comfort. If any bleeding occurs in the palate, the plastic stint should be inserted and pressure applied for 10 minutes. If the bleeding seems to be controlled, leave the stint in place for an additional 48 hours before removing it again. If this does not control the bleeding, remove the plastic stint and apply with pressure a wet tea bag to the bleeding area for 20 minutes. Do not hesitate to call us. No oral hygiene should be carried out in any area involved in soft tissue grafting surgery until after the first post­operative appointment. Please ask about this at that time. Rinsing twice daily for one minute with Peridex (or generic) is very important. When rinsing, do not “puff out” your cheeks—just let the mouth rinse gently flow over the areas by tilting your head. Follow the directions above for swelling. Implants with temporary crowns Implants with temporary crowns placed at the same time the implant is placed are not to be used for any biting or chewing. They are strictly for appearance for the first three months. This is extremely important and must be strictly adhered to since biting on them could cause the loss of the implant. No brushing or flossing until directed. Rinsing twice daily for one minute with Peridex (or generic) is also very important. Follow the directions above for swelling.